Nitric oxide (NO.) is a short-lived, free radical gas that has recently been shown to play a fundamental role in biological processes, resulting in a demand for accurate and precise techniques for its detection.
Methods for detecting nitric oxide in biology and medicine include spectrophotometry, chemiluminescence, and paramagnetic resonance. But these techniques generally do not permit rapid measurement at the site of NO. production and therefore are not ideal for following the brief course of production and decay that characterizes the metabolism of nitric oxide in biological samples or systems. Electrochemical detection, however, can follow such transient processes, and several electrodes have been developed for the direct electrochemical detection of nitric oxide.
Recently issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,705 (incorporated by reference hereinto) discloses certain novel electrodes and methods for detecting nitric oxide. In general, such electrodes have a surface region formed of a metal which complexes with nitric oxide when exposed to a nitric oxide-containing fluid and exhibit maximal nitric oxide response after being electrochemically conditioned.